DeLaSalle (6-2) and Grand Rapids met in last season's Class 3A consolation championship, where the Islanders defeated the Thunderhawks 68-66 in double overtime.
This kind of rematch probably won’t inspire a revenge factor, but it's still an important matchup for both teams prepping to enter conference play.
Heaven Hamling scored 20 points for Grand Rapids in last year's matchup and has the Thunderhawks (10-4, 1-0) threatening to make a return run to state this season. Hamling has scored in double figures in every game this season, including a 35-point performance in a 94-72 loss to Class 4A powerhouse Hopkins at the St. Olaf Holiday Hoops Classic on Dec. 28.
She also finished with 28 points as the Thunderhawks had a four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with a 68-60 loss to Chisago Lakes.
DeLaSalle senior Olivia Travis finished with nine points in the state consolation game, the highest total for the Islanders' returning players. She's continued her solid play, scoring nine points in a 52-48 loss to No. 1-3A Robbinsdale Cooper on Dec. 9 and adding six in victories over Totino-Grace (69-25) and No. 6-2A Holy Family Catholic (52-36) at the St. Thomas Thanksgiving Tip Off tournament.
Travis has been a nice complement to sophomore Nurjei Weems, who scored 14 in the victory over the Fire, and Nora Francois, a freshman who finished with 18 points against Holy Family Catholic and had 22 in a 66-28 victory at Concordia Academy on Dec. 14.